You may be one of the many Canadians who enjoy relaxing over a meal at a restaurant with friends. But while you’re out having fun, you could be unintentionally supporting tax cheats.

Most Canadian businesses report the money they earn and pay their taxes, but there are some that cheat and do not declare all of their income. If your restaurant server doesn’t give you a receipt, or gives you change from an open cash register without keying in your order, you might be supporting a dishonest business. Some businesses even go as far as using “zapper” software that deletes some customer transactions in order to hide their income from the government.

When you support businesses that cheat on their taxes, you are contributing to the underground economy and hurting honest businesses in your community that play by the rules.

As a consumer, how can you help prevent tax cheating?

Create a paper trail—when you eat out, get a receipt! If you ask for a receipt and don’t get one, or are encouraged to pay cash to save you the cost of the GST/HST, you can help all other honest businesses to stay in business by reporting it to the Canada Revenue Agency anonymously.

For more information on what details you need to provide, and how the Informant Leads Program works, go to cra.gc.ca/leads.

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